The principal methods presently used for hair removal involve the use of electrolysis techniques or chemical depilatories. These techniques involve some pain, are time consuming, and demand a fair degree of expertise in their application and normally do not guarantee a permanent effect.
The prior art of hair removal also includes attempts at removing hair with laser beams. Three such techniques are described in the following United States patents: Weissman et al., Method for Laser Depilation Device and Method, U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,924; Sutton, Depilation Device and Method, U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,926; and Mayer, Depilation by Means of Laser Energy, U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,919. All of these devices and methods teach the removal of hairs one hair at a time with a narrowly focused laser beam. Therefore, they are relatively inefficient and time consuming.
What is needed is a simple, harmless device and method for removal of hair over a relatively broad area of skin.